New camera backpack options arrive

Tamrac's new Aero Speed 85 has an improved camera compartment and zippers.

(Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET)

LAS VEGAS--Sure, they don't have 11-point autofocus systems or image stabilization, but a lot of money is spent on camera packs as well as cameras, and Tamrac, M-Rock, and Think Tank Photo introduced some new ones here at the Photo Marketing Association (PMA) show.

Tamrac
First up are Tamrac's Aero Speed 75 and 85 backpacks. These feature a lower compartment with a side-access zipper so cameras can be removed without taking the pack off.

Unlike related predecessors, the new models come with waterproof zippers for that compartment, and the lower section also has been reworked to permit larger 70-200mm telephoto lenses to fit, said product specialist Derek Gross.

The Aero Speed 75 costs $109.95, and the 85, which adds a compartment that can accommodate a laptop with a 17-inch screen, costs $149.95.

Think Tank Photo's StreetWalker line is designed for crowded urban areas.

(Credit: Stephen Shankland/CNET)

Think Tank Photo
Next is Think Tank Photo's Shape Shifter, a backpack that uses neoprene padding rather than the traditional foam panels to enable it to be expanded or flattened as necessary. The new $259 model now accommodates a 15-inch laptop.

Think Tank also introduced three StreetWalker backpacks, narrower models geared for crowded urban areas. They cost $139, $159, and $179 respectively for models that can hold a compact SLR, a pro SLR with a large lens, and a pro SLR with a large lens and a 15-inch laptop.

The company also announced a portable folding shade, the $69 Pixel Sunscreen 2.0, for editing photos on laptops in bright conditions such as sports fields. It has holes to accommodate cables and grippy material on its underside to keep it from slipping off laps.

M-Rock's Yellowstone holster bag, now an inch taller to fit longer lenses, can hold modular bags on the side.

(Credit: M-Rock)

M-Rock
M-Rock announced a new Adventure line of packs geared toward travelers and outdoor photographers.

The line includes the $180 Great Smoky Mountain roller bag, the $130 Arches backpack, and the $55 Yellowstone holster bag that can accommodate more gear by attaching modular packs on the side.